Pressure control for submarine chambers.



M. KLEIN. PRESSURE CONTROL FOR SUBMARINE CHAMBERS.

APPLICATION PILED'IBB. 8, 1913.

1,131,712,. Patented Mar.16,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M. KLEIN. PRESSURE CONTROL FOR SUBMARINE CHAMBERS, APPLICATION FILEDFEB.B,1913.

1,131,712. Patented Mar.16,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. KLEIN. PRESSURE CONTROL FOR SUBMARINE CHAMBERS. APPLICATION FILEDFEB. 8, 1913. 1,131,712 Patented Mar.16,1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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MARCELL KLEIN, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

I PRESSURE CONTROL FOR SUBMARINE CHAMBERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 16, 1915.

Application filed February 8, 1913. Serial No. 747,145.

To all whom it ma concern:

- Be it known t at I, MARCELL KLEIN, a-

great depths into the water, proof against the pressure of the water, sothat it will be possible to lower suchapparatus of a. very lightconstruction to the greatest depths, without their being injured by thehigh ressure existing at such depths. This ob- ,gect is obtained by theair or gas contained within the respective apparatus being kept at apressure equal to that of the water on the outside, so that the walls ofthe casing are relieved. This uniformity of the pressure may, accordingto the present invention be obtained either by the air within theapparatus being brought into direct communication with the Waterwithout, so that it will be compressed to correspond with the waterpressure without; or, the air space withln the apparatus is connected toa high pressure pipe, through which air will flow into the apparatus incase the pressure within is lower, or. air may escape from the apparatusin case the pressure is higher within.

In the accompanying drawing the invention has been exemplified, asembodied in submarine searchlights.

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of one form ofpressure device.Fig. 2 is a like view of a modification. Fig. 3 is a sectional view ofthe device in connection with a search-light and photographic camera.Fig. l is a sectional view of a pressure tank connected to a selfrecording thermometer. Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a pressure tankprovided with supplemental pressure producing means within the tank.Fig. 6 is a side view partly in section of a tank connected withexterior pressure tanks and provided with a hydrostatic regulatingdevice. Fig. 7 is a modification of the latter. Fig. 8 is a diagrammaticview showing the invention applied to a submarine boat. Fig.

9 is a further modification of the device shown in Fig. 7, and Figs. 10and 11 are side and end views respectively of a submarine boat with amodification of the search light shown in Fig. 8.

In the constructional form according to Fig. 1 the Searchlight acommunicates by means of pipes 0 and d-with an air vessel 6. At itslowest part the air vessel b has one of several openings 6, e, whichform a communication between the water without and the space within saidvessel, when the plant is immersed. In such position the more water willenter through the openings 6, the deeper the apparatus is sunk. Forpreventing the water from entering into the Searchlight the pipes c and(2 must open into the vessel b at its highest point and the volume ofair within the vessel must be at such a ratio to the volume of air inthe search light, that the volume of air in the vessel is at least timesas large as that of the Searchlight, if a: is the greatest depth towhich the plant is intended to be sunk, given in meters. Vhen the plantis sunk to very great depths the vessel is connected by means of an airtube to a pressure accumulator which is provided, say, on anaccompanying ship (not shown), and an automatic device is provided,which will prevent the water level in the vessel 6 rising beyond a givenheight.

In Fig. 2 such device is exemplified in form of a float 7, whichautomatically opens the admission valve 9 when the said float is liftedby the water entering into the vessel, and closes the valve as soon asthe level of the Water has fallen sufficiently in consequence of theentrance of air through the tube h.

Fig. 3 shows a Searchlight for photographic, photometric andcmematographic work under water. The Searchlight a is placed within thetank I), which is lowered into the water by means of ropes Z. One or twophotographic cameras 2', i communicate by means of pipes d with the airspace at the top of the vessel 1) these cameras may be electrlcallyoperated from the accompanying Fig. 4 shows a self-recording deep seathermometer, the case of which communicates with the vessel 6.

Fig. 5 shows a Searchlight directed downward without any glass whatever.The

Searchlight a communicates through holes a with an air vessel 6, whichhas holes e, so

that the level of the water in the Searchlight corresponds to that inthe vessel. By means of a valve 9 a float 7 controls the entrance of 4air from a high pressure tube It into the vessel 6, said tube beingconnected with high with a hydrostatic apparatus. The latter consists ofa cylinder 91. with a piston g and holes p. The cylinder at communicatesat 0 with the upper part of the searchlight tank a, the piston rod 8operates the three way cock T, which is provided in the high pressurepipe 25 which is connected tohigh pressure'tanks m, m, located outsidethe vessel a.

The piston is under load on the one side by the pressure of the waterwithout, and on the other side by the pressure of the air within. Whenthe apparatus is lowered the water pressure on top of the piston ufincreases-and moves the latter downward in the cylinder, turning thecock'r to open communication between pipes t and u, thereby increasingthe air pressure in the tank a.

'When the apparatus is moved up, the water pressure on top of the pistondiminishes and the latter is raisedin the cylinder by the air pressurein the tank thus closing the cock and shutting off communication betweenpipes 25 and u. g

In order to prevent the compressed air from entering directly into theSearchlight,

a separate tank 6 is provided according to- Fig. 7, said tank having anopening o.

'- Fig. 8 illustrates a submarine boat fitted with a Searchlight, whichis of the open type and arranged 1n the chamber 6 serving as air tank.

In the arrangement according'to Fig. 9 an intermediate tank b isprovided which may be closed by means of one hydrostaticdevice n againstthe high pressure pipe and by means of another hydrostatic device 0?.against the Searchlight. The hydrostatic device a operates at the samepressure as the water without, while the second hydrostatic device 71.operates at a pressure of the air in the tank I) which pressure ishigher than the pressure of the water and corresponds to the tension ofthe spring w. In consequence of such arrangement, air of the samepressure will enter into the search light at all depths.

When the plant is to be sunk to very great depths the accumulators m maybe fitted with sea valves e, so as to avoid having to fill them with aircompressed to an excessively high degree. These valves '6 are then madeas non-return valves, which will be automatically opened by the pressureof the water without, when the latter reaches the pressure of theair-within the accumulators.

A most intense and powerful sources of light to penetrate the waterfarther than about 50 meters. With the types of searchlights hithertoused, it was necessary, before diving, to remove these from theirposition on the bridge and take them into the interior-of the boat, onthe one hand for preventing the searchlight from being exposed to anunnecessary pressure of the water, and on the other hand to avoidproducing an unnecessary resistance while the boat is traveling underwater. Besides the fact that such detaching and stowing away is verydiflicult in heavy seas and can hardly be carried out without greatdanger to the men, the time Wasted in doing so will considerably reducethereadiness of the submarine boat to dive and disappear. Thesedisadvantages are entirely obviated by the arrangement according toFigs. 10 and 11. Here the Searchlight is fitted to a mast a, which ismounted on a pivot '22 and is so arranged in the superstructure w of theboat, which is not watertight, 1

when in diving position, that it is flush with the deck plates of thissuperstructure and will thus not increase the water resistance.

When the Searchlight is to be used, the mast u is raised, swinging onthe pivot 'v, by means of a suitable gear operated from within the boat.In Fig. 10 this gear consists of the rope m, which runs over the sheavey to the winch 2, which is operated from within the boat by a gearing(not shown in the drawing). In diving position the searchli ghtcommunicates through a pipe 0 with the\air vessel 6, the air volume ofwhich is kept constant in the same manner as shown in Fig. 2 by means ofa communication to the.; igh pressure air pipe h of the boat, so that nyleakage of air will be automatically compensated and on the other handthe weight of the submarine boat will I remain the same at anydepthowing to the constancy of the water level in the air vessel b.

When inraised position above water the provided in the connecting pipe,which valve will close automatically when the searchlight is raised, andopen automatically when it is lowered.

I claim: 1. In a pressure control for submarine chambers, thecombination of a chamber, and a vessel communicating on the one sidewith the chamber and on the other side with the sea, whereby water inthe vessel maintains an air pressure in the chamber equal to side withthe chamber, and on the other side with the sea, whereby water in thevessel with the chamber and on the other side with p the sea, and meansto supply pressure to said copies of this patent maybe obtained forvessel to keep a constant volume of air therein.

4. In a pressure control for submarine chambers, the combination of aclosed chamher, a vessel closed at its top and open to the sea at itslower end, and means to establish communication between the chamber andthe top portion of the vessel.

5. The combination of a submarine having an open compartment on theexterior thereof with a Searchlight, a mast movable into and out of the.compartment and carrying the Searchlight, a vessel within the submarineWitnesses:

WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

walhlngton, D. 0.

